a través de vs. por

Question

I know a través de(atravesar) means (to go) through. however in some instances so does por. I feel like this is a dumb question to ask since I have a feeling the answer is no but I'll ask it anyway. Are these two interchangeable as translations of "through"'

Answer 1

Hay veces que 'through? pueda significar 'por? o 'a través de'. Es decir, cuando 'through? significa 'by means of? pueden ser intercambiables.

Ejemplos:

I listen to the news through the televisión. (Escucho las noticias a través de/por la televisión).
I heard about the accident through my sister. (Me enteré del accidente a través de/por mi hermana).

Hay otra expresión en la que es intercambiable: when you see something through the window (cuando ves algo a través de/por la ventana).

Luego, 'through? se utiliza para indicar 'de parte a parte? con idea de movimiento.

I walked through the park (yo paseaba a través del parque).

"Por" no siempre significa "through". Ejemplo: Paseo por/en el parque. En este caso "por" significa "in" porque no es "a través de".

Answer 2

No, in general they aren't interchangeable, and here a good site and some good example phrases:

http://www.learn-spanish-online.de/grammar/chapter12_prepositions/12_14_a_traves_de.htm
http://www.learn-spanish-online.de/grammar/chapter12_prepositions/12_3_por.htm#sechs

Answer 3

Thanks for researching that for me Pablo but I still don't understand.

Answer 4

Espero haberte podido ayudar.

Answer 5

So basically the only difference is that por means "in" in some cases'

Answer 6

So basically the only difference is that por means "in" in some cases?

Or "by" or "around/in the area of" and a number of other possibilities, depending on the context.

Answer 7

There has to be a more significant difference. Could someone give me an example were you can't put por in the place of a través de.

Answer 8

Luego, 'through? se utiliza para indicar 'de parte a parte? con idea de movimiento.

I walked through the park (yo paseaba a través del parque).

"Por" no siempre significa "through". Ejemplo: Paseo por/en el parque. En este caso "por" significa "in" porque no es "a través de".

Translation:

So "through" is used to indicate "from place to place" in respect to movement.

I walked through the park (yo paseaba a través del parque).

"Por" does not always mean "through." Example: Paseo por/en el parque. (I walk around/in the park.) In this case "por" means "in," because it is not "a través de" (across/through/from one extreme to the other).